Exercise in pregnancy

Studies of exercise in pregnancy ask about safety, benefits, and how much activity is involved. Reviews and a systematic review describe the benefits, risks and prescription of physical exercise, and others look at effects on maternal and newborn outcomes. A narrative review focuses on exercise dose, while a comparative review sets different guidelines side by side.

Committee guidance on physical activity and exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period appears among the papers, in both a full opinion and a summary. Trials and program descriptions are also included: a randomized trial studies an exercise program in sedentary pregnant participants with obesity, and another paper describes a program followed throughout pregnancy. A review of the literature from Africa shows that the question is studied in many settings.

Expectant parents commonly ask whether it is safe to keep exercising, what kinds of activity are involved, and how this changes after birth. When preparing class material, an educator may want to reflect that guidelines differ in places and that personal advice comes from each parent's own provider. The papers below are the ones the Hub tracks on this topic.